William Henry Harrison

Presidency

How did Harrison die?

Harrison died from pneumonia on April 4, 1841, after serving just over thirty days in office as president. He became the first president to die in office. Harrison may have contracted pneumonia after being caught in a harsh downpour of rain a few weeks after his inauguration. Others have speculated that his two-hour inaugural speech in wet, cold weather may have contributed to his rapid decline in health.